Honeymoon - Part Two (Maldives)

As mentioned in my previous blog, my probably three-hour old husband told me where we were going on honeymoon during our first dance. The Maldives has always been on my bucket list. For years I have been pinning the pristine blue waters and the overwater bungalows of the Maldives on my Pinterest board - Just Touched Down.

Damian and I flew Emirates airlines to Dubai and onwards to Malé, Maldives. We were lucky enough to have window/aisle seats on our flight as there were only two seats in these particular rows. For those that don't know, I get claustrophobic on flights and therefore always opt for an aisle seat. The flight into the Maldives was out of this world. The views as you descend the air are absolutely breathtaking as you view the many small islands from the sky.

We landed on the Maldives main island, Malé in the late afternoon and were escorted by speedboat to Club Med Kani. Vichi (Manager of the overwater suites) welcomed us to the island and escorted us to our suite. Those overwater suites look exactly like a postcard. Every photo that we took could have been used as promotional material, even though these pictures were taken by our iPhones. I had two favourite features in our suite that I simply could not choose between. The first was the outside deck. I would sit here for hours admiring the view and sea life around us. In fact, I would wake each morning before dawn and watch the sunrise from that deck. The second unforgettable feature was the bathtub. It also had 180˚ views of the ocean where I spent many an hour bathing and taking in the view.

As soon as Vichy left, we stripped into our costumes and jumped off our deck into the ocean. Each overwater suite has its own deck and stairs into the water. The water was so welcoming, crystal clear, warm and calm. We had lots of sea life around us (including eagle rays, eels and an array of fish) that would keep us in awe for days. That evening we experienced the White Party (every guest dresses in white, you dine on the beach with the sand between your toes and the sound of the ocean touching the shores just a few feet away).

One of the 'perks' of staying in the overwater suites is that you order your breakfast every evening (you complete a card choosing what you would like for breakfast, leave it in a box outside your front door and they collect it during the course of the night). Each morning, they deliver your breakfast to your door at your specified time for you to enjoy your chosen breakfast in the comfort of your suite. We ate our breakfast every morning on our deck.

For our first full day on the island, we decided to explore the island and all its offerings. What we were most excited for was to stand up paddle board. We spent our time swimming, paddle boarding and drinking cocktails. The cocktails, in particular, were tasty but potent.

The food was especially tasty with cuisines on offer from all over the world. On a few occasions, I had different curries including a vegetarian option which was mouthwatering. There were also different desserts on offer including an ice cream bar. We would often finish our meal and have a takeaway ice cream cone. Another perk of staying in the overwater villas was the afternoon pancake station. We frequented this most afternoons for a custom made pancake with a filling of your choice.

On day two, we decided to go on a turtle tour. We took a speedboat out to a reserve area where snorkelled with various sea life including some turtles. The coral was vibrant and colourful, with an abundance of sea life to be seen. Unfortunately, Damian's GoPro had a 'moment' and stopped working during this outing. Although we didn't have the photos to capture the outing, it was unforgettable. The following day we went parasailing. I was so looking forward to this as I had not been parasailing in many years (the last time was in 1998 in the Comoros). We got to experience spectacular views while up in the air, including the view of the Club Med Kani resort.

On Day four, we went on a 'Lobster Tour'. What a memorable day this was! We snorkelled at a few different locations and briefly saw dolphins swimming in the ocean while we were snorkelling (this was beyond a dream coming true). Hearing them communicate underwater was a moment that I will always remember. After stopping at our first snorkelling location, we headed to a tiny deserted island where we had lobster, octopus and fish cooked for us. This was hands down my best meal. The seafood was so unbelievably fresh and delicious. We also got to meet two fellow South African couples. I especially enjoyed the older couple who were worldly travellers. I love hearing travel stories from people who have experienced many different countries, cultures and continents and who also view life differently.

The rest of our time at Club Med Kani was spent snorkelling, swimming, tanning with a cocktail in hand and eating ourselves into a state of stupor. The over water bungalows had their own bar which was also over water. Damian and I would pay our respects to this bar daily. My requests for single shot cocktails fell on deaf ears and we would sit and sip our beautifully strong cocktails with the water underneath us and music in the background.

I would go back to the Maldives in a heartbeat. Our honeymoon was absolute perfection and Damian and I got to experience things that many couldn't even begin to imagine. I feel that if you are fortunate enough, it is important to travel while you are young and experience this world with the person/people that you love.

Thank you to my amazing husband for this wonderful experience. I am so grateful that I get to go through life with you.